Comment

Manson

the Life and Times of Charles Manson
Oct 22, 2013
Although I read, enjoyed, and returned this book to the library weeks ago, I find it is still rolling around in my mind so much that I am compelled to post this comment. I read lots of biographies and this is one of the best from recent years. The book is especially relevant for anyone old enough to remember the idealistic social atmosphere of the late 1960s and the dark underside of it that the Manson Family killings exposed. Even if you are not old enough to remember, I strongly recommend that you read this book anyway because the author does such a good job of evoking early and middle 20th century times and values. Many details of Manson's formative years are revealed to provide an insightful understanding of his later crimes. I read Helter Skelter when it came out decades ago and this Manson biography goes much farther to enable readers to understand how and why Charlie operated the way he did. The author's conclusion is especially powerful when he points out that today's audiences rarely remember the names of the killers in Columbine, Colorado, or Virginia Tech, or Newtown, Connecticut, but Manson's name has resonated in American culture for over 44 years.